Is the Seronera Wildlife Lodge for Me?

Seronera Wildlife Lodge in the central Serengeti, Tanzania is extremely fortunate in its location, which makes it a desirable locality for budget safaris who want only to experience the delights of spectacular scenery and its teeming wildlife. Strategically placed in the center of the Serengeti plains, an apt name loosely translated as “the land that goes on forever”, it is a wonderful game-watching site for a stopover on your Tanzania tour with Discover Africa.

From all the rooms, there are extensive views of the plains and watering holes thronged with large mammals of over 70 species. Cleverly built among the boulders of a kopje which are incorporated into the design of various living spaces, it affords close contact with denizens of the wild. Hyrax and baboon are readily encountered on the premises. Visiting elephants have been known to cause minor obstructions, but this must be offset against the undeniable benefits of opportunities to photograph abundant wildlife up close and in the raw. This huge but unpretentious budget lodge is easily accessible by road safaris in Tanzania. Set squarely on the path of the annual Great Migration of hundreds of thousands of zebras and over a million wildebeests, it offers a no-frills value abode to stay at during your Serengeti tour to observe and record encounters between thousands of herds and hundreds of predators it attracts.

Accommodation At Seronera Wildlife Lodge

With 75 guestrooms, there is usually ample accommodation available for the many guests who wish to vacation in Tanzania, especially to access this amazing natural amphitheater at the heart of one of Africa’s oldest and largest wildlife park. All have basic amenities and mosquito nets over air vents. It must be remembered that this is a very large complex far from civilization so that power, water and other amenities may not always be immediately available although every effort has been made to present the facilities to visiting guests’ best advantage albeit past complaints from guests — so be aware. There are rooms with twin or king sized beds, power points for shavers and hairdryers, en-suite bathrooms with vanity units, tea and coffee-making facilities, minibars and safes. Bathrobes and linen are provided for in-room use. Other services said to be available include housekeeping, laundry, massage services, currency exchange. There is a fine swimming pool with delightful views, a gymnasium, a boutique offering local handicrafts, an Internet cafe, a library and television lounge with satellite TV. Twenty-four-hour reception is also available with business center convenience, telephone, fax and radio. The Serengeti hot air balloon safaris for Discover Africa guests begin at a nearby launch site; cultural Maasai experiences, ethnic entertainments or educational talks and videos are available but only sometimes. There are also two intrinsic bars and a restaurant: Pango indoor bar, with lounge chairs and board games available, Ikoma Sundowner outdoor bar, where you can enjoy the sunset over the grassy plains, and the Chui Restaurant where authentic local dishes are an interesting option, not to be missed on your holidays in Africa.

Safari At Seronera Wildlife Lodge

The real attraction of a Seronera Wildlife Lodge safari is the fantastic abundance of game viewing opportunities in this matchless wilderness area. In a customized, 4×4, booked as part of your northern Tanzania safari with Discover Africa, you can follow the migrating herds (HerdTracker) a web-app which plots the precise location of the great wildebeest migration in real time to a Google map. On the open savannah, lion, giraffe and various antelopes can be seen. Depending on the time of the year and hour of the day, the sights will vary, but they will always be uniquely fascinating, from bloodthirsty hunts to charming family groups. You may have no difficulty spotting the Big Five, those prime objectives of game hunters’ tours in Africa for hundreds of years. These are the lion on the Kopje, and elephant on the plains, the rhino near the safety of a bushy forest, and the buffalo and leopard by the riverine in the evening.

Dining At Seronera Wildlife Lodge

Wherever possible, fruit, vegetables, meat and fish are locally sourced. A selection of international and local dishes are available in various menu items — fresh bread, soup, salad, grills, roasts and desserts. Meals can be taken on or off the premises, but as always, when you travel to Africa’s prime agricultural heartland, it is best eaten fresh at the lodge. Tanzanian tea and coffee are served, with a range of beers, wines, spirits, juices, soft drinks and cordials. Vegetarian options are available, and special dietary needs can be met by prior arrangement with Discover Africa. Early morning tea may be enjoyed before a game drive, returning for cereal, fruit or English or continental breakfast. A nature walk on the lodge grounds is possible later to get acquainted with the wild residents of the rocky outcrops, or you may relax in the lounge, swim in the pool or simply enjoy the Serengeti plains views from your rooms or from the decking. An early afternoon siesta could be followed by a further game tour activity by schedule. It is possible to watch herds of gazelle, buffalo and zebra returning to water holes before settling down for the night while opportunistic stalkers, leopard, lion and cheetah, emerge from the shadows for a night’s hunting. Sundowners can be soaked in from various viewpoints before a more formal restaurant dinner sitting.